Gypsum Wallboard and Method of Making Same

ABSTRACT

A coalescing additive is used in the manufacturing process for gypsum wallboard. Such an additive increases the surface area and density of the slurry at the paper to core interface by coalescing the foam cells away from the paper core interface. This permits a stronger paper to core bond to form and increases the compressive strength of the gypsum wallboard as compared to standard wallboards made from slurries with reduced water levels.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This U.S. Utility Patent Application claims priority to U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application 60/944,093, which was filed on Jun. 14, 2007.

BACKGROUND

Conventional gypsum wallboard has been used for over fifty years in theconstruction of residential and commercial building interior walls andceilings. Typically, wallboard consists essentially of a gypsum coresandwiched between and bonded to two sheets of facing material (e.g.,paper) and is used as a cost-effective replacement of conventionalplaster walls. To be commercially profitable, gypsum products, such aswallboard, are typically manufactured by continuous high speedprocesses. Typically, natural gypsum (calcium sulfate dihydrate)predominately makes up wallboard. Manufacturers mine and transportgypsum to a mill in order to dry it, crush/grind it and calcine it toyield stucco. The reaction for the calcination process is characterizedby the following equation:

CaSO₄·2H₂O+heat→CaSO₄·½H₂O+1½H₂O

This equation shows that calcium sulfate dihydrate plus heat yieldscalcium sulfate hemihydrate (stucco) plus water vapor. This process isconducted in a calciner, of which there are several types known in theart. The stucco can contain one of two forms of calcium sulfatehemihydrate: the α-hemihydrate form and the β-hemihydrate form. Thesetwo types of stucco are often produced by different means ofcalcination. While the β-hemihydrate form is normally used due to itslower cost, either type of calcium sulfate hemihydrate is suitable foruse.

Calcined gypsum (stucco) has the valuable property of being chemicallyreactive with water, and will “set” rather quickly when the two aremixed together. This setting reaction reverses the above-describedstucco chemical reaction performed during the calcination step. Thereaction proceeds according to the following equation:

CaSO₄·½H₂O+1½H₂O→CaSO₄·2H₂O+heat

In this reaction, the calcium sulfate hemihydrate is rehydrated to itsdihydrate state over a fairly short period of time. The actual timerequired for this setting reaction generally depends upon the type ofcalciner employed and the type of gypsum rock that is used. The reactiontime can be controlled to a certain extent by the use of additives suchas accelerators and retarders.

In known manufacturing processes for gypsum wallboard, the settingreaction is facilitated by premixing dry and wet ingredients in a mixingapparatus, such as a pin mixer. The dry ingredients can include, but arenot limited to, any combination of calcium sulfate hemihydrate (stucco),fiberglass, and accelerator, and in some cases natural polymer (i.e.,starch). The wet ingredients can be made of many components, includingbut not limited to, a mixture of water, paper pulp, and potash(hereinafter, collectively referred to as a “pulp paper solution”). Thepulp paper solution provides a significant portion of the water thatforms the gypsum slurry of the core composition of the wallboard. Thedry ingredients and the pulp solution contain the basic chemicalcomponents of a piece of wallboard.

Conventional methods of preparing gypsum wallboard are well known tothose skilled in the art. For example, the dry ingredients and pulppaper solution can be mixed together in a pin mixer. In this manner, thedry ingredients and pulp paper solution create a fluid mixture or“slurry.” The slurry is discharged from the mixer through the mixer'soutlet chute or “boot” which spreads the slurry on a moving, continuousbottom facing material. A moving, continuous top facing material isplaced on the slurry and the bottom facing material, so that the slurryis positioned in between the top and bottom facing materials to form theboard. The board can then pass through a forming station which forms thewallboard to the desired thickness and width. The board then travelsalong a belt line for several minutes, during which time the rehydrationreaction occurs and the board stiffens. The boards are then cut into adesired length and then fed into a large, continuous kiln for drying.During drying, the excess water (free water) is evaporated from thegypsum core while the chemically bound water is retained in the newlyformed gypsum crystals.

While conventional gypsum wallboard products have many advantages, ithas also long been desired to reduce the cost of manufacturing gypsumwallboard. One method of reducing the cost of manufacturing gypsumwallboard has been to reduce the amount of water used in themanufacturing of the wallboard. Reduction in water reduces the amount offree water left in the wallboard after the setting reaction. A loweramount of free water left in the wallboard results in less drying energybeing expended to remove the free water, which in turn saves energycosts associated with drying wallboard (i.e., the fuel cost associatedwith operating a kiln to dry the wallboard). However, reducing waternegatively impacts the manufacturing process by reducing the slurryfluidity, increasing board weight, adversely affecting the paper to corebond, and decreasing the compressive strength of the board.

To ensure that the slurry remains fluid and the weight of the board isnot increased, gypsum wallboard is often produced by incorporatingaqueous foam into the stucco slurry. The foam comprises foam cells(i.e., bubbles) that create air pockets in the gypsum core of thewallboard, as the slurry sets. Thus, the core density and the overallweight of the wallboard can be controlled by incorporating aqueous foaminto the slurry. The foam usually is prepared using foam water, afoaming solution (i.e., soap), and air in any number of mechanical foamgeneration devices. As the amount of water used in the slurry decreases,the volume of aqueous foam is increased to maintain desired boardweights and thickness. While foam can be used for these purposes, theuse of aqueous foam has the detrimental effect of reducing the strengthof the produced wallboard.

The increased level of foam produces an increased number of foam cellsat the paper core interface. Wallboard gets its strength from theformation and the interlocking of crystals of calcium sulfate dihydratethat form during the rehydration process. At the paper core interface,these crystals of calcium sulfate dihydrate interlock with the fibers ofthe facing materials to form the paper to core bond. While “paper coreinterface” and “paper to core bond” is used throughout this disclosure,it is appreciated that any facing material can be used to sandwich thegypsum core. Thus, the term “paper core interface” will refer to theinterface between the core and any facing material used and the term“paper to core bond” will refer to the bond formed between the core andany facing material used.

The presence of foam cells at the paper core interface causes a decreasein the strength of the paper to core bond, because the foam cells at thepaper core interface prevent a uniform paper to core bond from forming.In addition, the stability of the foam solutions used leads to theproduction of randomly sized air voids which in turn results in thewalls between the air voids being sized non-uniformly. The non-uniformsize of the air voids and the walls between the air voids leads to adecrease in compressive strength for such gypsum wallboards that areproduced using foams. Thus far, efforts to improve the paper to corebond and the compressive strength in such manufacturing processes haveonly increased the cost, and in some cases the time involved, inmanufacturing gypsum wallboard.

For example, the addition of natural polymers, such as acid modifiedstarches, is found to increase the strength of the paper to core bond.Starch gels during the drying of the wallboard and is carried to thepaper core interface by the evaporating water. The presence of thegelled starch at the paper core interface causes a stronger bond betweenthe facing material and the core to form. Such natural polymers areexpensive and add cost in manufacturing gypsum wallboard.

Another alternative for strengthening the paper to core bond involvesthe use of additional steps that both increase the cost and timeinvolved in producing wallboard. An example of such an alternative issandwiching a low density gypsum slurry with foam between two thinlayers of higher density gypsum slurry. This involves the added steps ofdepositing two layers of higher density gypsum slurry (one on the bottomfacing material prior to the depositing of the lower density slurry andone on top of the lower density slurry prior to the placement of the topfacing material on top of the slurry). The added steps both increase thecost and the time involved in manufacturing gypsum wallboard.

Other methods focus on soap and dispersant chemistries in order tocreate foaming solutions with a more uniform foam cell structure. Thedrawback of such chemistries is their effectiveness are largelydependent on the quality of the water that is used, which varies fromplant to plant.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of an exemplary pin mixer.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of a gypsum wallboard withuncoalesced air voids.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of a gypsum wallboard withcoalesced air voids.

SUMMARY

Methods of manufacturing and compositions are provided for gypsumwallboard. For example, a method of manufacturing gypsum wallboard cancomprise the steps of depositing a slurry, including stucco, paper pulpand water, on a facing material to create a paper to core bond at thepaper to core interface; adding an aqueous foam to the slurry, therebycreating a plurality of foam cells in the slurry; and adding an additiveto the slurry that coalesces the foam cells, thereby increasing thesurface area and density of the slurry at the paper core interface.Further examples include a gypsum wallboard produced from such a methodand a gypsum wallboard that comprises at least one facing material, agypsum core bonded to the at least one facing material, and an additiveand a plurality of foam cells in the gypsum core, wherein the foam cellsare coalesced away from the at least one paper core interface and thedensity of the gypsum core at the at least one paper core interface isgreater than the density of the gypsum core further away from the atleast one paper core interface.

The additive can be a polyamine or chemistries based uponpolydimethylsiloxane with aminoalkyl and polyether groups (emulsions inwater). The additive can be added to a water source, such as the gaugingwater line, pulp water line or foam water line, so that the additive canbe added to the slurry when such water is added to the slurry. Theadditive can also be added to the slurry through a conduit in the slurrydischarge, when the slurry passes through the slurry discharge to bedeposited on the facing material. The additive can be added to theslurry at a controlled rate. For example, the additive can be added tothe slurry at about 0.15 to about 0.5 pounds per 1,000 square feet ofslurry, at about 0.15 to about 0.18 pounds per 1,000 square feet ofslurry for a ½ inch thick board, and at about 0.18 to about 0.35 poundsper 1,000 square feet of slurry for a ⅝ inch thick wallboard.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As discussed, a method for manufacturing gypsum wallboard includespre-mixing dry ingredients and a pulp paper solution in a mixingapparatus to create the gypsum slurry. FIG. 1 shows a front perspectiveview of an exemplary pin mixer 10 that can be used to mix the dryingredients with the pulp paper solution to produce the stucco slurry.As shown in FIG. 1, pin mixer 10 has a shell 12 that houses a pluralityof pins (not shown). A motor 18 operates to turn a rotor 16 which inturn spins the pins in shell 12 to mix the ingredients. Pin mixer 10also has a hopper 30 that allows for the dry ingredients to be depositedinto pin mixer 10. Pulp waterline 20 for adding the pulp solution,gauging waterline 22 for adding additional water, and foam waterline 24for adding foam are all connected to mixer 10 and allow for the pulppaper solution, water, and a foam solution to be added to the pin mixerand the gypsum slurry, respectively. Prior to being fed to the pin mixerthrough the foam waterline 24, the foam solution is created by anynumber of foam generation devices known in the art. Each of thewaterlines 20, 22, and 24 can have an inlet 26 (or multiple inlets) thatallows for other components to be added to the waterlines. Similarly,the foam generation device can be equipped with inlets that allow forcomponents to be added directly to the foam solution as it is generated.

The slurry is deposited on a continuous moving bottom facing material(not shown) through slurry discharge 32, which can be a boot or othersuitable conduit (e.g., flexible hosing or pipes). It will beappreciated that any number of facing materials can be used to createthe gypsum wallboard, including but not limited to paper. Slurrydischarge 32 can also have an inlet that allows for other ingredients tobe added to the slurry as it passes through the slurry discharge 32. Itwill be appreciated that slurry discharge 32 can have any number ofinlets that allow for the addition of such ingredients. While FIG. 1shows an exemplary pin mixer used in a gypsum product manufacturingprocess, it will be appreciated that any number of suitable mixers existfor forming the slurry and that FIG. 1 is only provided for the sake ofdiscussion.

FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional, side view of a gypsum wallboard 40 thatis produced using the ingredients and processes described herein. Asshown in FIG. 2, gypsum wallboard comprises the gypsum core 42sandwiched between two layers of facing material 44. During therehydration process, calcium sulfate dihydrate crystals form. Wallboardgets its strength from the formation and the interlocking of thesecrystals of calcium sulfate dihydrate. At the paper core interface 46,these crystals of calcium sulfate dihydrate interlock with the fibers ofthe facing material 44 to form the paper to core bond. FIG. 2 shows aplurality of air pockets 48 in the gypsum core formed by the addition ofaqueous foam to the slurry. As shown in FIG. 2, air pockets 48 decreasethe surface area of the gypsum core 42 at the paper core interface.Thus, the presence of air pockets 48 at the paper core interface causesa decrease in the strength of the paper to core bond, because the airpockets 48 at the paper core interface prevent a uniform paper to corebond from forming. Also shown in FIG. 2, air pockets 48 and wallsbetween them are randomly sized. This non-uniform structure leads to thewallboard having a decreased level of compressive strength.

The strength of the paper to core bond in gypsum board can be improvedby including additives in the slurry that coalesce the foam cells in theslurry and the resulting air pockets in the gypsum core. By coalescingthe foam cells/air pockets, the foam cell structure is more uniform andthe resulting air pockets are located away from the paper coreinterface. The coalescing of the foam cells will increase the densityand the surface area of the gypsum slurry at the paper core interface,which in turn will lead to a more uniform and stronger paper to corebond. FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional, side view of a gypsum wallboardproduced from a slurry with additives that coalesce the air voids. Asshown in FIG. 3, such additives cause air pockets 48 to coalesce towardsthe center of the gypsum core creating a more dense layer 50 of thegypsum core at the paper core interfaces. This results in a highercontacting surface area at each of the paper core interfaces 46, whichin turn results in a stronger paper to core bond and increases thecompressive strength of the board. Moreover, the coalescing of the airpockets 48 leads to a more honeycomb structure where the air pockets arelarger and more uniform in size. As a result, the walls between the airpockets are more uniform in size and the overall compressive strength ofthe wallboard is increased.

Suitable coalescing additives that can be added to the slurry in orderto coalesce the foam cells/air pockets, include but are not limited to,polyamines and chemistries based upon polydimethylsiloxane withaminoalkyl and polyether groups (emulsions in water). Examples ofsuitable polyamines include, but are not limited to EP-R10P50 availablefrom BASF Group, the Chemical Company. Examples of suitable chemistriesbased upon polydimethylsiloxane with aminoalkyl and polyether groupsinclude EXP 2933 and EXP 2937 both available from Wacker Chemie Ag.Other suitable additives that destabilize the foam in a manner thatcauses the foam cells/air pockets to coalesce can be used. For example,any additive which changes the surface tension of the slurry oradditives with high surface area can be used to cause coalescence of thefoam cells in the slurry.

Such additives can be added to the slurry in a number of ways including,but not limited to, adding such additives into any water source thatsupplies water to the slurry. For example, such additives can be addedthrough any of the conduits 26 into the gauging water line 22, the foamwater line 24, and pulp water line 20 (shown in FIG. 1). In addition,such additives can be added through conduit 26 of slurry discharge 32(shown in FIG. 1), as the slurry exits the pin mixer 10, or directly tothe foam generation device as the foam is created. Such chemistries canbe added at a controlled rate in order to further increase theeffectiveness of the coalescing additive.

The resulting increase in the strength of the paper to core bond and thecompressive strength of the board reduces the amount of natural polymers(e.g., starch) or other similar strengthening additives (e.g., SBRlatex) needed to increase the strength of the board. By reducing theamount of natural polymer and other similar strengthening additives, amanufacturer can further reduce the cost of manufacturing gypsumwallboard because such additives are expensive.

The coalescing of the foam cells in the slurry using coalescingadditives allows for a larger, more stable foam cell structure that isnot dependent on soap chemistry. As previously mentioned, theeffectiveness of using soap chemistries is largely dependent on thequality of water used to produce the foam, which varies from plant toplant. The use of coalescing additives to coalesce the foam cells can beused with foam produced from any appropriate soap with any quality ofwater.

The following examples are included to demonstrate some of the exemplaryformulations and techniques that can be used to coalesce the foam cellsby the addition of coalescing additives. However, those of ordinaryskill in the art will appreciate that many changes can be made to thefollowing sample slurry formulas and formulation techniques, while stillobtaining a like or similar result without departing from the spirit andscope of this disclosure.

Sample Slurry Formulations

The humidified paper core bond integrity and compressive (nail-pull)strength of a series of wallboard samples were compared to demonstratethe improvements in the strength of wallboards produced using coalescingadditives to coalesce the foam cells. The humidified paper core bondintegrity is a measure of the percent of the facing material able to bepeeled away from the core after being subjected to a high humidityenvironment (i.e., an environment with 90% humidity and a 90° F.temperature) for a set period of time. Table I shows the componentformulation of the wallboard samples in mass percentages based onstucco. Enough of each component is added to produce dry boards withweights around 1400 and 1650 pounds per 1,000 square feet for a ½ inchthick wallboard or around 2200 and 2400 pounds per 1,000 square feet for⅝ inch thick wallboard. It will be appreciated by one skilled in the artthat while ½ and ⅝ inch thicknesses are used, these exemplary formulascan be used to produce wallboard of any thickness.

TABLE I Formulation by Mass Percent Based on Stucco Control SamplesStucco 100% 100% Accelerator 0.08%-0.60% 0.08%-0.60% Starch .20%-.90%.20%-.90% Coalescing Additive 0    .011-.074% Potash .02%-.15% .02%-.15%Pulp Paper .09%-.15% .09%-.15% Pulp Water  5.0%-12.6%  5.0%-12.6%Gauging Water 49%-68% 49%-68% Dispersant .19%-.75% .19%-.75% 10% RA 77Retarder .01%-.02% .01%-.02% Soap 0.03%-.12%  0.03%-.12%  Foam Water 7.5%-18.7%  7.5%-18.7%As shown by these samples, the dosage range in these examples of thecoalescent material to ½ and ⅝ inch thick boards range from 0 to about0.074 mass % based on stucco, with greater increases in strength beingfound at ranges from about 0.011 to about 0.022 mass % based on stuccofor ½ inch thick boards. In addition to the stucco, starch, pulp paper,pulp water and potash being added to the stucco slurry composition, theslurry composition contains an accelerator, such as BMA (produced byNational Gypsum Company), a retarder, such as, Proteinaceious Retarder(produced by National Gypsum Company), Accumer (produced by Rohm &Haas), and RA-77 (produced by Rhodia), and a dispersant, such asDiloflow (produced by Geo Chemicals), Gypflow (produced by HandyChemicals) and Daxad (produced by Geo Chemicals). The foam solution usedin the creation of these exemplary slurry formations had a weight of5-15 lbs/cubic feet.

Both ½ inch and ⅝ inch thick boards were produced from the aboveformulas and tested to determine the increase in compressive strength(nail pull strength) and the increase in strength of the paper to corebond (percent of bond failure). Three sets of three ⅝ inch thick boardspecimens were prepared with 0.010, 0.017 and 0.019 mass % based onstucco of coalescing additive by formula mass, respectively. These ⅝inch thick board specimens were compared to a baseline sample thatcontained 0 mass % based on stucco coalescing additive in order todetermine the decrease in failure of the specimens face paper to corebond and back paper to core bond. Two sets of three ½ inch thick boardspecimens on separate days were prepared with 0.011 and 0.013 mass %based on stucco coalescing additive, respectively. Each of the ⅝ inchthick board samples and the ½ inch thick board samples were created byadding the coalescing additive to the slurry as the slurry passedthrough the slurry discharge (e.g., the boot). These ½ inch thick boardspecimens were compared to baseline samples that contained 0 mass %based on stucco coalescing additive in order to determine the decreasein failure of the specimens face paper to core bond and back paper tocore bond and the increase of compressive strength of the board samplescontaining coalescing additives. Table II shows the percentage of paperto core bond failure for each of these samples and Table III shows thepercent increase of nail pull strength of these samples with thecoalescing additive.

TABLE II 20-Hour Humidified Paper to Core Bond Percent FailureCoalescing Thickness Additive Back % Front % (inches) Mass % Peel Peel ⅝0 8.0 .5 ⅝  .010 1.0 .3 ⅝  .017 1.6 .5 ⅝  .019 1.0 2.6 ½ 0 40.9 22.5 ½ 052.8 19.5 ½ 0* 63.13 1.3 ½  .011 1.2 0 ½  .013 .7 2.6 ½  .011* .7 0 ½ .013* 0 .3 *Samples created on different day

TABLE III Percent Increase of Compressive Strength (Nail Pull Test)Thickness Coalescing (inches) Additive Mass % % Increase ⅝ .010 6.1 ⅝.017 7.0 ⅝ .019 9.8 ½ .011 8.7 ½ .013 7.1 ½ .011* 10.4 ½ .013* 11.6*Samples created on different dayAs shown by Table II, the percent of paper to core bond failure issubstantially reduced for wallboards that contain a coalescing additive,as compared to wallboard samples that do not. Similarly, the compressivestrength of the wallboard samples containing the coalescing additive isimproved for ⅝ inch thick test board samples and the ½ inch thick testboard samples.

Coalescing additives can be added to the slurry in a number ofcontrolled load rates through the boot in the range of about 0.15 toabout 0.5 pounds per 1,000 square feet for both ½ inch thick and ⅝ inchthick wallboard. For example, when a coalescing additive was added at0.5 pounds per 1,000 square feet for a ½ inch thick wallboard, the nailpull strength improved by 10 lbs, while the humidified bond failure forthe face facing material to the core was reduced by over 70% and thehumidified bond failure for the back facing material to the core wasreduced by 40%. When the load rate of the additive was reduced to0.15-0.18 pounds per 1,000 square feet for a ½ inch thick wallboard, thecompressive strength of the board was increased over 10%. When the loadrate of the additive was set at 0.35 pounds per 1,000 square feet for a⅝ inch thick wallboard, the compressive strength for the created samplewas increased by over 9%. When the load rate of the additive was set at0.3 pounds per 1,000 square feet for a ⅝ inch thick wallboard, thecompressive strength of the created sample was increased around 7% andwhen the load rate of the additive was set at 0.18 pounds per 1,000square feet for a ⅝ inch board the compressive strength of the createdsample was increased over 6%.

While methods of manufacturing wallboard and the resulting wallboardhave been described in detail with reference to certain exemplaryembodiments thereof, such are offered by way of non-limiting examples,as other versions are possible. For example, it is anticipated that avariety of other modifications and changes will be apparent to thosehaving ordinary skill in the art and that such modifications and changesare intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of theinvention as defined by the following and any later added claims.

Further, in describing representative embodiments, the disclosure mayhave presented a method and/or process as a particular sequence ofsteps. However, to the extent that the methods or processes do not relyon the particular order of steps set forth herein, the methods orprocesses should not be limited to the particular sequence of stepsdescribed. As one of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate, othersequences of steps may be possible. Therefore, the particular order ofthe steps disclosed herein should not be construed as limitations on theclaims. In addition, the claims directed to a method and/or processshould not be limited to the performance of their steps in the orderwritten, and one skilled in the art can readily appreciate that thesequences may be varied and still remain within the spirit and scope ofthis disclosure.

1. A method of manufacturing gypsum wallboard, the method comprising thesteps of: providing a slurry including stucco, paper pulp and water;adding an aqueous foam to the slurry, thereby creating a plurality offoam cells in the slurry; depositing the slurry on a facing material tocreate a paper to core bond at a paper to core interface; and adding anadditive to the slurry that coalesces the foam cells away from the papercore interface, thereby increasing the surface area and density of theslurry at the paper core interface.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein theadding the additive step comprises adding a polyamine to the slurry. 3.The method of claim 1 wherein the adding an additive to the slurry stepcomprises adding a polydimethylsiloxane with aminoalkyl and polyethergroups emulsion to the slurry.
 4. The method of claim 1 wherein theadding an additive to the slurry step comprises adding the additive to awater source that supplies water to the slurry, so that the additive isadded to the slurry when the water is added to the slurry.
 5. The methodof claim 4 wherein the water source comprises a gauging water line. 6.The method of claim 4 wherein the water source comprises a pulp waterline.
 7. The method of claim 4 wherein the water source comprises a foamwater line.
 8. The method of claim 1 wherein the slurry passes through aslurry discharge to be deposited on the facing material and the additiveis added to the slurry through a conduit in the slurry discharge as theslurry passes through the slurry discharge.
 9. The method of claim 1wherein the additive is added to the slurry at a controlled rate. 10.The method of claim 9 wherein the additive is added to the slurry at thecontrolled rate of about 0.15 to about 0.5 pounds per 1,000 square feetof slurry.
 11. The method of claim 9 wherein the additive is added tothe slurry at the controlled rate of about 0.15 to about 0.18 pounds per1,000 square feet of slurry used to produce a ½ inch thick gypsum board.12. The method of claim 9 wherein the additive is added to the slurry atthe controlled rate of about 0.18 to about 0.35 pounds per 1,000 squarefeet of slurry used to produce a ⅝ inch thick wallboard.
 13. A gypsumwallboard produced by mixing a slurry including stucco, paper pulp,water, and an aqueous foam, adding an additive to the slurry to coalescefoam cells created by the aqueous foam, depositing the slurry on atleast one facing material to form at least one paper to core bond at thefacing material and the gypsum core paper core interface, cutting thewallboard to the desired size, and drying the wallboard, wherein thefoam cells are coalesced away from the paper core interface.
 14. Thegypsum wallboard of claim 13 wherein the additive comprises a polyamine.15. The gypsum wallboard of claim 13 wherein the additive comprises apolydimethylsiloxane with aminoalkyl and polyether groups emulsion. 16.The gypsum wallboard of claim 13 wherein the at least one facingmaterial comprises a first and second facing material and the paper coreinterface comprises a first and second interface, wherein the foam cellsare coalesced away from the first and second paper core interfaces. 17.A gypsum wallboard comprising: at least one facing material; a gypsumcore bonded to the at least one facing material at the facing materialand the gypsum core paper core interface; and a coalescing additive anda plurality of foam cells in the gypsum core, wherein the foam cells arecoalesced away from the at least one paper core interface and thedensity of the gypsum core at the at least one paper core interface isgreater than the density of the gypsum core further away from the atleast one paper core interface.
 18. The gypsum wallboard of claim 17wherein the coalescing additive comprises a polyamine.
 19. The gypsumwallboard of claim 17 wherein the coalescing additive comprises apolydimethylsiloxane with aminoalkyl and polyether groups emulsion. 20.The gypsum wallboard of claim 17 wherein the at least one facingmaterial comprises a first and second facing material and the at leastone paper core interface comprises a first and second interface, whereinthe gypsum core is sandwiched between the first and second facingmaterials and the foam cells are coalesced away from the first andsecond paper core interfaces.